Weekly E-Pistle: First Sunday After Christmas

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

• This Sunday's Service — First Sunday After Christmas
• Last Week's Video — Christmas Message from Pastor Sal
• Special Christmas Fund Collection this Sunday 
• Congregational Meeting — January 8, 2023
• Birthdays & Anniversaries, Prayer Requests, and Financial Stewardship

This Sunday's Service: 1st Sunday after Christmas

Happy New Year! This Sunday, we greet the new year by putting our focus on the Magi, who followed the Star of Wonder and were guided to that Perfect Light. Who were the Magi, and how does their story apply to our lives today, as we set our intentions for 2023?

Join us this Sunday at 10 AM (either in-person or streaming live online), as we explore the "Journey of the Magi." Message: Pastor Sal Sapienza.

Special Music: Peter Black and the ​Douglas Holiday UCC Choir. Plus, Pamela Chappell will be performing her original holiday composition, "Be the Candle. Be the Star." In addition: Adelle Van Daalen on piano and Logan Johnston on saxophone. 

​Download the Online Bulletin Here:

order_of_service_january_1_2023.pdf
File Size:	2507 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

---

---

​Last Week's Video — Christmas Message 
​​from Pastor Sal 

Jesus said, "You are the Light of the World." As we celebrated the birth of Jesus on Christmas morning, we also celebrated the birth of the Light within us. Watch Pastor Sal give an inspiring Christmas message about birthing the Light within.

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

---

Special Christmas Fund Collection this Sunday 

This Sunday, we will be taking a special collection for the UCC Christmas Fund, which has been caring for active and retired clergy and lay employees of the United Church of Christ for more than 100 years, providing emergency grants, supplementation of small annuities and health premiums, and Christmas “Thank You” gift checks each December to our lower-income retirees. Get information, here.  You can donate to the Christmas Fund by using the special offertory envelopes in the pews this Sunday. Thank you, as always, for your generosity!

---

​Congregational Meeting, January 8
​after Church Service 

On Sunday, January 8, 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.

---

Birthdays & Anniversaries

January 1- Tim Lemanski, 2- Doreen & Tamara Ritt, 4- Greg Gerrans
5- Beverly Hawkes, 6- Louise Kenny, 7- Fred Idema
 
​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

Family and friends of Olive Johnson (Liz Wisehart's mother); friends and friends of Amy Wood (Mary Fechtig's sister); Gemina Petruzzelli; Family and friends of Gary Johnston (Mark Johnston's father); John Willming; Dave Bazany; Carol Rice; Doug Petersen; Kirstin Barendsen (cousin of Ruth VandenBosch); Marianna Maver (Friend of many in our congregation); Diane Carr & Family; Mary Baxter (Marjorie Reiman's friend); Elwood Cephus Stith (Mark Reiman's friend); Pete Wehle; Rev. Lou Grettenberger (friend of Ginny Mikita); Phil Sturdevant (Pete Wehle's friend); Darren Dixon (Beverly and Orie Hawkes' nephew); David Zylstra (Laurie VandenBeldt's friend); Elinor Hite (Virginia Stuart's sister); Joann DeJonge; Jay North (friend of Dan Pierce); Hannah Sherman; Maureen Pierce; David Abbot; Sarah Johnson Lock; 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); Sherri Kanten (Ruth VandenBosch's friend); Chris Stuart (Virginia Stuart's sister-in-law); Mary Elizabeth Loudin (friend of Laurie VandenBeldt)

---

​Financial Stewardship

(Christmas Services Canceled, Video Services Posted instead)
​Total Views forChristmas Video: 859

(No Service Collections), Mailed Donations: $11,075.00
Online Giving: $2,463.11
​​​​
​Total: $13,538.11
​​
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.

---