Weekly E-Pistle: First Sunday After Christmas

12/24/2021

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

This Sunday's Service Notes — First Sunday After Christmas, "Burning Bowl Ritual"
Last Week's Service Video -- Fourth Sunday of Advent, "Mary's Song of Love "
Christmas Message from the UCC
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Mask Recommendation
Mid-Year Congregational Meeting, After Service on January 9, 11:30 AM
Walt Lawrence's Gift to DUCC
Special Christmas Fund Collection this Sunday
Quiet Contemplation Service Time Change
Chris Clark's Camino de Santiago Presentation via Zoom, Dec 30, 7PM
Afghan Family Task Force Update
Year-End Giving Statements Coming -- Do We Have Your Correct Address?
Reports & Minutes
Birthdays & Anniversaries, Prayer Requests, and Financial Stewardship

This Sunday's Service: "Burning Bowl Ritual"

This Sunday is the final Sunday of the year. As is our longstanding year-end tradition, we at Douglas UCC will be participating in a very powerful "end-of-year" ritual: The Burning Bowl ceremony. It's a ceremony of purification, transformation, and renewal.

We hope you will join us this Sunday at 10 AM (either in-person or streaming live online), as we let old things pass away so that all things can be made new. Message by Pastor Sal. Music by Peter Black and Jeff Spangler.

Download the Online Bulletin here:

order_of_service_december_26_2021.pdf
File Size:	1289 kb
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Last Week's Service:

Last Sunday was the fourth and final Sunday of Advent, in which we put our focus on Mary, the mother of Jesus, and her revolutionary song of love. We also lit our fourth advent candle for "Love."

Please enjoy last Sunday's service, the inspiring message from Pastor Sal, and uplifting music from Peter Black and Jeff Spangler.

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

Christmas Message from the UCC

A lovely message from the United Church of Christ --Reverend John C. Dorhauer.

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Mask Recommendation

We're taking this opportunity to remind everyone that following the new Michigan Public Health advisory for masking in all indoor public places, it's important to wear a mask in services and church meetings, maintain a safe distance from others, and withhold hugs and handshakes when passing the peace.

If you forget your mask, fresh masks and hand sanitizer are available at all doors, and we encourage you to use them when entering and exiting church buildings. We want you to be well, stay safe, and have a joyful holiday season,

Here is Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services mask advisory for this holiday season for all gatherings: https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/0,9753,7-406-98158-572726--,00.html

You can follow Allegan County's Covid transmission and infection rate at this link:
CDC infection and transmission rates by county.

Mid-Year Congregational Meeting, After Service on January 9, 11:30 AM

On Sunday, January 9, after service at 11:30am in the Friendship Hall, we will hold our Mid-year Congregational Meeting. We will also be broadcasting it via Zoom, so if you prefer to join us online, watch your email for the invitation to join in.

Walt Lawrence's Gift to DUCC

This week, our church received a financial gift of $10,000 from the estate of Walt Lawrence, our beloved church member who passed away in September. We are so grateful to Walt for remembering us in his will, and we are so thankful to him and his husband, Stephen Lewis, for their kindness and generosity.

Special Christmas Fund Collection this Sunday

This week, we are taking a special collection for the UCC's Christmas Fund. Since 1902, the Christmas Fund has provided assistance to clergy and lay employees who, after years of service to others, now find themselves facing unexpected needs. To donate to the Christmas Fund, please use the special offering envelopes in the pews on Sunday. You can also make a donation on our online giving page or write a check made out to Douglas UCC and mail it to Douglas UCC, P.O. Box 519, Douglas, MI 49406. Please write "Christmas Fund" on the memo line of the check. Our church will match whatever funds are collected. Thank you, as always, for your generous giving.

Quiet Contemplation Service Time Change

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

“Yes! Blessed are those holy hours in which the soul retires from the world to be alone with God. God’s voice…is everywhere. Within and without, [God] speaks to our souls, if we would hear. Only the din of the world, or the tumult of our own hearts, deafens our inward ear to it. Learn to commune with [God] in stillness, and [God], whom thou hast sought in stillness, will be with thee when thou goest abroad.” – E. B. Pusey

The beginning and end times for our Thursday Hour for Contemplative Prayer at DUCC have changed from 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm to a new time of 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm. This change will be in effect until Spring 2022.

This is a time each Thursday to "Be Still and Know," practice contemplative prayer, or simply sit in the quiet of our church for an hour to still the mind in community. The hour begins with the lights dimmed. A brief seasonal call to prayer is spoken; followed by a period of silence while soft music plays. The hour concludes with a closing prayer.

Chris Clark's Camino de Santiago Presentation via Zoom, December 30, 7 PM

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

In case you missed Chris Clark's presentation on walking the Camino de Santiago, he will be doing it once more via Zoom on December 30 at 7:00 pm. You can sign up for this presentation in the Friendship Hall, or write to Julie at [email protected], for the link

Afghan Family Task Force Update

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

We have heard from Bethany Christian Services that our Afghani family will arrive in Mid-January. We will welcome them to the Spring Street House until permanent housing is arranged for them in Holland. Thanks to our generous church family and the hard work of the Afghan Family Task Force team, most of the groundwork has been laid in place. Our family of three will have extended family in the area. The father in our family worked as an English language translator in Afghanistan. If you have questions between now and January, please feel free to contact Barb Witt at [email protected] or 616-340-7970 or Pat Denner at [email protected] or 269-509-2911. Thanks to all for sharing your blessings with those in need!

Year-End Giving Statements Coming --
Do We Have Your Correct Address?

Photo by Amol Tyagi on Unsplash

As our Finance Team works to prepare year-end giving statements, please help them out by updating your mailing address, if it has changed over the past year. Please send your new mailing address to Michael VerMerris at [email protected].

Reports & Minutes

Click below to download the latest Pastor's Report and Church Council Minutes:

pastors_report_december_2021.pdf
File Size:	252 kb
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approved_church_council_minutes_november_2021.pdf
File Size:	413 kb
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Download File

Birthdays & Anniversaries

January 1- Tim Lemanski
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 Direct

Prayer Requests

Kevin Farley; Paul Murphy; Al Overweg; The Cox Family; Beverly Willming (John Willming's mother); friends and Family of Jimmy Hotwagner (Annie Hotwagner's brother); Jay North (friend of Dan Pierce); Diane Carr (Debra Carr's sister): Family and friends of Kenny Cassabon (Pete Wehle and Pamela Chappell's); 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); Myron (Wendy Hamlin's grandson, Fred Hamlin's great-grandson); 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, December 12: 62
Livestream Attendance: 55
Viewers for December 12 Online Service Videos: 538

Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $14,515
Online Giving: $2,252.12

Total: $16,767.12

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.