Weekly E-Pistle: Fifth Sunday in Lent

3/24/2023

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

This Sunday's Service — Fifth Sunday in Lent: "Rise Up to New Life"
Last Sunday's Service — Fourth Sunday in Lent: "A New Vision"
Order Your Easter Lily Plant
Maundy Thursday Sign-Up
Visiting Writers Series: Anne-Marie Oomen with Jack Ridl, March 29
DUCC Movie Night: Radical Grace, April 12
CJT Community Book Read: Thank You!
MS Awareness Month
Soul Collage, April 1
Help for Turkey and Syria
Reports & Minutes
Birthdays & Anniversaries, Prayer Requests, and Financial Stewardship

This Sunday's Service: "Rise Up to New Life"

In the gospel reading for the 5th Sunday in Lent, we'll hear the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. How are we to understand this story spiritually? What did Jesus mean by saying, "I am the resurrection and life?"

Join us this Sunday at 10 AM (either in person or streaming live on YouTube), as we explore what it means to experience new life in the Spirit. Message: Pastor Sal Sapienza. Music: Peter Black and Nancy Plantinga.

Download This Sunday's Online Bulletin:

order_of_service_march_26_2023__1_.pdf
File Size:	2200 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

Last Sunday's Service

In the gospel reading for the 4th Sunday in Lent, we explored one of the miracles attributed to Jesus: a beggar blind from birth is healed and can now see. Please enjoy last Sunday's service, when we explored the meaning of this miraculous story for our lives today. Message: Pastor Sal Sapienza. Music: Peter Black and Stan Greene.

Here's the Homily

Order Your Easter Lily Plant

On Easter Sunday, we hope to have our altar filled with Easter lilies! Please consider purchasing an Easter Lily plant for $15. You can do so in honor or memory of a loved one, whose name will appear in the bulletin on Easter Sunday. You can take the plant home after our Easter service. To purchase a plant, please use the special "Flower Offering" envelopes in the pews this Sunday or order online. For online orders, please let us know the person or persons you wish to remember with your lily by emailing Julie.

Maundy Thursday Sign-Up

Our annual Maundy Thursday supper will be held on April 6 at 6 PM in the Friendship Hall, followed by a service in the church. If you plan on attending, please sign the sheet in the Friendship Hall or email Julie Ridl.

Visiting Writers Series: Anne-Marie Oomen
with Jack Ridl, March 29

On Wednesday, March 29, at 7pm at the Herrick District Library in Holland, the Jack Ridl Visiting Writers Series at Hope College will feature essayist Anne-Marie Oomen, in a conversation with Jack Ridl, and Q&A session with the audience, featuring Oomen's new collection, As Long As I Know You: The Mom Book. The book will be available for sale at the event. Oomen and Ridl are long-time literary and personal pals, and professors whose conversations are always fun. The event is free. There will be snacks!

DUCC Movie Night: Radical Grace, April 12

We are excited to announce a very special "Movie Night" at Douglas UCC on Wednesday, April 12 at 6 PM in the Friendship Hall for a screening of the award-winning documentary, Radical Grace, followed by a Q&A with its director, Rebecca Parrish. Produced and narrated by Oscar-winner, Susan Sarandon, Radical Grace follows three fearless nuns who risk their place in the Church to follow another higher calling: social justice and inclusion. You won't want to miss this powerful and inspiring film. Popcorn and refreshments will be served. This event is free and all are welcome.

CJT Community Book Read: Thank You!

A wonderful turn-out on Wednesday night for our Creation Justice Team's Community Book Read of The Hidden Life of Trees at the Saugatuck/Douglas District Library. Thank you all who attended; to church member, Virginia Stuart, who moderated; and to Chris Clark and our Creation Justice Team for their leadership.

MS Awareness Month

Last Sunday, our church member, Sarah Donovan, and her team members, Wendy Hamlin and Mike VerMerris, shared her journey with Multiple Sclerosis, and asked us to consider supporting her in her April 22 Walk in Grand Rapids to raise funds for research into this disease. It's easy to support these walkers, and to join the walk! Find all the details by heading to the event page here:

Support Team Sarah!

Soul Collage, April 1

Our friend and spiritual teacher, Ruth Zwald is offering the next Soul Collage gathering in the Friendship Hall on April 1. Follow the instructions above if you'd be interested in exploring this quite fun and deeply empowering method of self exploration and affirmation.

Help for Turkey and Syria

The news continues to unfold about the devastating earthquake on the border of Turkey and Syria. The death toll continues to rise, and the numbers of displaced people run to more than 1 million.

Amid this current uncertainty, you can be certain that with your financial support the United Church of Christ is there, helping those in need. To support this effort, you can give online by following the button below, or text UCCDISASTER to 41444. You can also mail a check made payable to the United Church of Christ, PO BOX 71957 Cleveland, OH 44194. Please be sure to note “Turkey and Syria” on your check in the memo section.

All donations will be deposited into the International Emergency fund designated for “Turkey and Syria Earthquake Response.” Your generous financial support will be used by our partners in the areas of greatest need, for relief and long-term recovery.

Give Online Here

Reports & Minutes

approved_church_council_minutes_february_2023.pdf
File Size:	154 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

pastors_report_march_2023.pdf
File Size:	276 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

Birthdays & Anniversaries

March 26- Michael Bojko, Bill Underdown, 29- John & Marchiene Rienstra30- Ann Hopkins, Rachael Overweg, 31- Pamela Chappell
APRIL 1- Nancy Plantinga
Birthday and Anniversar;y 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

Jack Ferguson; Anne Geraghty (Pat Denner's Sister-in-law); Nicole and John (Wendy Hamlin's daughter-in-law and son); Dan Pierce (Craig Drager's husband); Marianna Maver (Friend of many of us); Lisa Marth (The Marths' Sister-in-law); Kirstin Barendsen (Ruth VandenBosch's Cousin); Vicki Latham (Ruth VandenBosch's cousin); Darren Dixon (Beverly Hawkes' nephew); Cole Hartman (Kathy Hartman' son); Chris Stuart, (Virginia Stuart's sister-in-law)

Financial Stewardship

In-Person Attendance, March 19: 73
Total Views for March 19 Online Videos: 560

Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $1,535.00
Online Giving: $2,670.18

Total: $4,205.18

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.