Weekly E-Pistle: Fifth Sunday in Lent

4/1/2022

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

This Sunday's Service Notes — Fifth Sunday in Lent, "Loving Wastefully"
Last Week's Service Video — Fourth Sunday in Lent, "The Journey Home"
Paul Murphy, In Memoriam
Welcome Rev. Dr. Lillian Daniel!
Fr. Richard Rohr Reorders the Universe
Help us Buy Dark Sky Children's Books for the Library
Maundy Thursday Service, April 14, 6pm, Thursday April 14 Meditation Service Canceled
Let's Take Another Look at Poetry, April 18, 7pm
We Need You: Adopt-a-Highway Cleanup, April 23, 9am
CJT Movie Night: The City Dark, April 27, 6:30pm
Help us Fill our Altar with Easter Lilies to Honor Loved Ones
Donate to help Ukrainians
Save the Date, DUCC's 140th Anniversary Block Party, June 5
Birthdays & Anniversaries, Prayer Requests, and Financial Stewardship

This Sunday's Service: "Loving Wastefully"

In thegospel reading for the 5th Sunday in Lent, Jesus's friend, Mary of Bethany, anoints his feet with costly perfume. But, Judas asks, "Why should an expensive ointment be wasted in such an extravagant gesture when it could be sold and the money used to feed the needy?"

Please join us this Sunday at 10 AM (either in-person or streaming live online) as we explore what it means to "Love Wastefully." Message: Pastor Sal. Music: Peter Black and Nancy Plantinga.

Download This Sunday's Online Bulletin:

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Last Week's Service

Last Sunday, we heard one of Jesus's most powerful teachings: "The Parable of the Prodigal Son." This teaching reminds us that on the spiritual journey home, God runs to meet us and prepares a banquet for us. This is the perfect parable for us to focus on in the middle of the Lenten season, a time when we make preparations to come home to ourselves. Please enjoy last Sunday's service, when we explored together what this parable means for our lives today, especially during this season of Lent.
Message: Pastor Sal. Music: Peter Black, Max Brown and Doug Sipsma.

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

Paul Murphy, In Memoriam

It is with deep sadness that we share the news that our Douglas UCC church member,
Paul Murphy, passed away at his home in Palm Springs, California, with his husband, Michael Mok, by his side. We will remember Paul's sparkling life, love, joy and humor at an upcoming service at Douglas UCC. Cards and consolations for Michael can be sent to his home address in Douglas, found in the Church Directory.

Welcome Rev. Dr. Lillian Daniel!

At a special meeting on March 19th, the Michigan Conference of the UCC elected Rev. Dr. Lillian Daniel as our next Conference Minister. Rev. Daniel will be overseeing all of the 150 UCC churches in the State of Michigan. You can learn more about our new Conference Minister by downloading her bio, below.

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Fr. Richard Rohr Reorders the Universe

In last Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sal promised to share this New Yorker magazine article about Richard Rohr: Richard Rohr Reorders the Universe | The New Yorker

Dark Sky Children's Books for the Library

The Creation Justice Team is working with Saugatuck Douglas District Library to offer a children’s program during Dark Sky Week, April 22-28. We identified a set of appropriate books and are asking for help in purchasing them for the library. All you need to do is click this link, choose a book, and pay. The books will be shipped directly to the library.

Thanks for your help!

Maundy Thursday Service, April 14, 6pm
(Regular Meditation Service Canceled)

Please join us on April 14 at 6 PM for our Maundy Thursday service. This powerful service commemorates Jesus's last meal with his apostles and his seven last words. We will begin in the Friendship Hall with a simple meal of soup and bread, followed by a time of prayer and reflection in the church, where we will darken the sanctuary in preparation for Good Friday. If you plan to attend, please sign the poster hanging in the Friendship Hall or email julie@douglasucc.org, so that we know how much food to prepare. Thank you.

Let's Take Another Look at Poetry, April 18, 7pm

"Why in our culture do most people fall out of love with poetry? We savored it as children. What happened?" -- Jack Ridl

On April 18 at 7pm, our church member Jack Ridl will hold a conversation about poetry at the Saugatuck-Douglas District Library. Please call the library at 269-857-8241 to reserve your seat. There is no charge for admission.

Jack Says, "In this workshop we will be open about what stands in our way to appreciating, enjoying, understanding, being enriched by poetry. Some may discover a new way of reading. Some may discover that instead of reading a poem, one can explore it from many starting places. Some may hear its music. Some may create a painting in the mind’s eye. Who knows what will happen? Let's find out together."

We Need You: Adopt-a-Highway Cleanup,
April 23, 9am

The Douglas UCC Creation Justice Team has scheduled our highway cleanup for 9am on April 23. We are looking for many hands to work together to make light work of cleaning up our three miles of highway. Sign up on the sheet in the Friendship Hall or by writing to julie@douglasucc.org. Thank you for helping us keep our corner of the world clean!

CJT Movie Night: The City Dark, April 27, 6:30pm at Library

The Creation Justice Team prresents “The City Dark” at Saugatuck-Douglas District Library, April 27 at 6:30pm. The viewing will be followed by open discussion, plus information on updating your outdoor lighting to meet dark sky standards.

Help us Fill our Altar with Easter Lilies to Honor Loved Ones

On Easter Sunday, we hope to have our altar filled with Easter Lilies! Please consider purchasing an Easter Lily plant for $15. Please use the special "Easter Lily" envelopes in the pews on Sunday (or mail a check to Douglas UCC, P. O. Box 519, Douglas, MI 49406). You can purchase a plant in honor or memory of a loved one, whose name will appear in the bulletin on Easter Sunday, and you can take the plant home after our Easter service. Thank you so much!

Donate to help Ukrainians

The United Church of Christ is appealing for support for refugees and for elderly and other vulnerable people who are displaced within Ukraine and unable to leave. As a member of the ACT Alliance, UCC support is being targeted to people most in need through humanitarian relief partners with a history of working in the region.

All donations will be deposited into the International Disasters fund designated for “Ukraine Relief.” Your generous financial support will be used by our partners in the areas of greatest need. One can also mail a check made payable to the United Church of Christ PO BOX 71957 Cleveland, OH 44194. Please be sure to note “Ukraine Relief Fund” on your check in the memo section.

Read more about how you can support the UCC's drive for the people of Ukraine here.

Save the Date, DUCC's 140th Anniversary Block Party, June 5

Photo by Gaelle Marcel on Unsplash

SAVE THE DATE! This year, Douglas UCC celebrates its 140th Anniversary! In celebration, we will be having a "Block Party" with food and live music in front of the church on Pentecost Sunday, June 5, from 11 AM to 1 PM. More details to follow!

Birthdays & Anniversaries

April 3- Karen Prins, 4- Bill Klatt & Jim McHugh, 8- Jim McHugh, Dan Dow

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

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; Helaine Miedema (David Miedema's mother); 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, March 27: 76
Livestream Attendance: 51
Total Viewers for March 27 Online Service Videos: 626

Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $2,755.00
Online Giving: $2,083.86

Total: $4,838.86

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.