First Sunday after Christmas

12/29/2023

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

This Sunday's Service -- First Sunday After Christmas: "Endings & Beginnings"
Last Sunday's Service -- 4th Sunday of Advent: Love
Christmas Eve Service -- Video and Kudos
Spiritual Center Update
Pastoral Search Listening Sessions
Soul Collage with Ruth Zwald, January 13
Need for Volunteers on the AV Team
Year-End Giving Statements Coming -- Do We Have Your Correct Address?
Birthdays & Anniversaries, Prayer Requests, Stewardship Drive & Financial Stewardship

This Sunday's Service: "Endings & Beginnings"

This Sunday - on the last day of the year - we'll bid farewell to 2023 and also say good-bye to Pastor Sal and Gregg on what will be their final Sunday with us.

Sunday's worship will include a "Service of Release and Farewell" for Pastor Sal, as we officially release him from his duties as our pastor, so that he can begin his new call at the United Church of Rowayton in Connecticut.

Please join us on Sunday at 10 AM (either in person or streaming live online) for Pastor Sal's final homily, "Endings & Beginnings," and special music from Peter Black and Jeff Spangler.

Download the Online Bulletin Here:

order_of_service_december_31_2023.pdf
File Size:	1623 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

Last Sunday's Service
4th Sunday of Advent: Love

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, the Magnificat. We'll also lit our fourth advent candle for "Love."

Please enjoy last Sunday's service, and the inspiring message from Pastor Sal Sapienza and uplifting music from Peter Black and members of the Lakeshore Community Chorus.

Christmas Eve Service Video & Kudos

Thank you to all who made this year's Christmas Eve Candlelight Service of the "Lessons & Carols" so meaningful: Peter Black, Director of Music; Jeff Spangler, Cantor; Lara Allison, Soloist; Stan Greene, Choir Director; Douglas UCC Choir: Scott DeWitt, Ruth VandenBosch, Mike VerMerris, Lynne Snyder, Tom Fahlstrom, El Clough, Laurie Vandenbeldt, Kathleen Mueller, Shannon Connell, Jim Kern, Doug Sipsma, Mary Westenbroek, Marcel TerVeen; Readers: John Willming, Lynne Snyder, Stan Greene, Julie Ridl, Kathleen Mueller, Sue Scott, Michael Valdez, Robert Trenary; A/V Team: Lewis Corbin, Dave Bohn. And thank you to all who attended. If you missed the service, you can watch it now at the link above.

Spiritual Center Update

Wrapping Up and Regrouping for the New Year!

This January, Rev. Marty will be offering her 'Called to Care' small group to a few folks who could not attend the December session. There are currently two spots available in January. The group will meet Wednesday, January 10th from 3:00 to 4:30. As there are only a few spaces, please call Julie - or email Kathleen Mueller ([email protected]) - to share your wish to be included. There will not be a sign up sheet for this January session.

Because of the high interest in caregiving support, the Retreat House Ministry Team will be sponsoring caregiver groups in the new year. More information to come!

In January, Jeremy Lund will continue with his group "Only the Whole Person Can Experience the Whole God". The 12-person group met twice in December and will meet twice in January.

As we enter the New Year, the Retreat House Ministry Team is planning upcoming offerings. If there is a particular area of discussion that you would like to see offered, please contact Kathleen at the email above. These groups belong to you, so please let us know your spiritual needs.

Pastoral Search Listening Sessions

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Starting in January we are setting aside time for your input and discussion around who we are as a church community, which will be central in determining what qualities we are looking for in our next pastor.

Our first order of business as a search team is to put together our Church Profile, which is what prospective pastors will see in their process of evaluating where they are being called to serve next.

This UCC church profile asks 3 questions:

Who are we now?  What are the current central features of our identity as a church community?

Who is our Neighbor?  Or, who is God calling us to become? What kind of ministries and outreach are we to be involved in going forward?

Who is God calling to minister with us?  What are the qualities we are looking for in our next pastor?

So, starting in early January we are putting together opportunities for your input around these 3 questions. Here are the dates and time:

Who are we now?
January 7, 2024 from 11:30 - 1pm And depending on need we will have a follow up on Monday January 8 from 6:30 - 8pm

Who is our neighbor?
January 14, 2024 from 11:30 - 1pm  Follow up if needed Monday January 15, 2024 from 6:30 - 8pm

Who is God Calling to Minister with Us?
January 21, 2024 from 11:30 - 1pm Follow up if needed Monday January 22, 2024 from 6:30 - 8pm.

Your input is absolutely essential. The search team is an instrument to gather and organize the information that you provide, which is our collective wishes and aspirations for the future, and to make it available to prospective candidates. We strongly encourage your participation in these gatherings.

You will find sign up sheets in the Friendship hall. Thanks

Soul Collage with Ruth Zwald, January 13

Due to popular demand, in January, our spiritual teacher and friend, Ruth Zwald, will be offering TWO sessions of her next Soul Collage workshop, one in the morning, and one in the afternoon on January 13. As always, contact Ruth directly at the email above to sign up for these sessions, which fill fast, and fill your soul!

Need for Volunteers on the AV Team

We are so grateful for our many wonderful volunteers who make our Sunday Worship special each week. Right now, we especially need volunteers to operate the sound board during Sunday service. In the past few months our team has made vast improvements by standardizing the settings and streamlining the operations. If you are interested in joining our team and helping with this very important position, please contact our volunteer coordinator, Mike VerMerris, 269.325.4043, [email protected].

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

Photo by Amol Tyagi on Unsplash

As our Financial 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 Julie Ridl at [email protected], or you may choose to update your address yourself in the church directory app.

Birthdays & Anniversaries

Birthdays: December 31- Jan DeVries, January 4- Greg Gerrans,
5- Beverly Hawkes, 6- Louise Kenny

Anniversaries: January 2- Doreen &Tamara Ritt

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

Debbink Family; David Miedema, his parents and family; Karl Fahlstrom (Tom Fahlstrom's brother); John Kerr; Mike Mok; Dave and Shirley Lawson; Clark McMillion (Chris Clark's friend); Ruth Fahlstrom (daughter of Tom Fahlstrom); Nancy Grib (Friend of Pamela Chappell); Stuart Family; Charlene Burdick (Paul Burdick's Mother); Diane Carr; Myron (Wendy Hamlin's grandson, Fred Hamilin's great-grandson); Betsy York; Mary Westenbroek; Brian Aikens; Jerry Elpers and family (Beth Howley's Dad); Edie Plantinga (Nancy Plantinga's mother); Joyce Potts (Ed Korson's Friend); Max Matteson; Eric Cooley (Jo Cooley's brother); Nicole and John (Wendy Hamlin's daughter-in-law and son)

Stewardship Drive

Stewardship Drive Giving Week ending December 24:
Pledges to Date = $227,800.00
Pledge Fulfillment to date = $111,122.75

Thank you to all who pledged toward our Campus Stewardship Drive. Weekly Stewardship
Drive totals are posted here and on the giant ‘thermometer’ poster in the Friendship Hall.
If you have not received a pledge card, you can pick one up
in the Friendship Hall.

Financial Stewardship

In-Person Attendance, two services, December 24: 223
Total Views for December 24 worship videos: 406

Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $4,629.00
Online Giving: $2447.57
Total, General Support: $7,076.57

UCC Christmas Fund Donations = $261.00

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.