In This Week's E-Pistle, You Will Find:
This Sunday's Service: "Into the Wilderness"
This Sunday is the 1st Sunday in Lent. The 40 days of Lent are a time of spiritual preparation for us. Before Jesus began his ministry of teaching and healing, he spent 40 days and nights in the wilderness. The 40 days of Lent invite us to venture into the wilderness alone, to face our fears and to wrestle with the things that are keeping us from experiencing our greatest good and living life to the full. Please join us this Sunday for our "Video Worship Service," as we prepare ourselves spiritually for the sacred season of Lent.
Message: Pastor Sal. Music: Peter Black and Jim Bailey. Tune in on Sunday at 10 AM via our Facebook page, YouTube channel, or here on our website. Last Sunday's Service Video
Last Sunday was "Transfiguration Sunday." What exactly happened to Jesus on the mountaintop? Last Sunday's Gospel told us a change happened in Jesus: his clothes became a dazzling white, and he was transfigured. The word "transfiguration" means "a spiritual change." How have the "mountaintop" experiences in your life impacted your own spiritual transformation? Please enjoy last Sunday's "Video Worship Service," when we explored how to spiritually transform our lives and our world. Message: Pastor Sal. Music: Peter Black and Nancy Plantinga. Click here to read, watch, listen to, and share last week's homily.
Lenten Devotionals Available at Retreat House and Online
The Season of Lent began on Wednesday, and a great way to journey through the Lenten season is by praying each day with the UCC's 2021 Lenten Devotional.
The devotional features daily Bible quotes, reflections, and prayers for all 40 Days of Lent, from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. The devotionals are $5 each, and you can pick one up in the foyer of the Retreat House, or you can order online at The Pilgrim Press. Lenten Creation Care Calendar
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SJT presents: Online White Privilege Class
The Social Justice Team is happy to announce they will once again offer their guided course on White Privilege -- an educational resource developed by the UCC. The class will meet on Zoom for this powerful, 6-week conversation that gathers once a week from 7 to 8:30 pm on Thursday evenings. The members will begin either March 11 or 18, depending on availability. The seats have been partially filled from the previous waiting list, so there are a limited number of spaces available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you would like to join in this conversation, email the class facilitator, Bob Kenny.
Centering Prayer Group during Lent, Wednesday Evenings at 5:30pm, Feb 17 to March 31
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During the season of Lent, Pastor Sal will be leading a "Centering Prayer" meditation via Zoom each Wednesday evening from 5:30 PM to 6 PM. If you are interested in taking part in these sessions, please email Julie for the Zoom link. |
Community Read with Interfaith Action: The Beauty of Your Face
The DUCC Social Justice Team, in partnership with West Michigan's Interfaith Action, invites you to read and discuss The Beauty of Your Face. Our friend Beth Kenagy writes, "The novel was named one of the New York Times's 100 Notable Books of 2020. It's rich with details of the Islamic faith and Arab culture and the prejudice that confronts American-Muslim immigrants. The generational conflict that sometimes arises within immigrant families is also a central theme."
The author will join the ZOOM discussion on Thursday, March 18 at 6:00.
Nevine Khalil, a journalist from Saint Joseph, and Tatiana Reinoza, a Notre Dame professor, will moderate the discussion.
Click here to register for the online book discussion.
The author will join the ZOOM discussion on Thursday, March 18 at 6:00.
Nevine Khalil, a journalist from Saint Joseph, and Tatiana Reinoza, a Notre Dame professor, will moderate the discussion.
Click here to register for the online book discussion.
QuartzAir Units Available in February with DUCC Discount
Surgically Clean Air February 2021 discount pricing information for DUCC
QUARTZ:
retail price: $1,795
DUCC Feb 2021 price: $1,495
Cubic Ft./min cleaned, 194 cfm on Medium setting
Total sq ft cleaned per unit: 2,100 sq ft
JADE:
retailprice: $2,495
DUCC Feb 2021 price: $1,995
Cubic Ft/min cleaned, 229 cfm on Medium setting
Total sq ft cleaned per unit: 2,730 sq ft
After our last congregational meeting, during which we shared plans for air cleaning when the church returns to in-person services, several DUCC members showed interest in Surgicall Clean Air (SCA) units for their homes. SCA has offered church members a discount for orders placed in the month of February, 2021. Full list and discount prices are shown above along with the home square footage covered per unit. Shipping is approximately $50 with a two-week lead time.
If you would like one of these units at this special price, contact our sales representative, below. Only orders placed with him by phone qualify for the DUCC discount. Also, he is happy to answer any questions regarding home layouts, size of units, etc.
Mr. Dave Lerg, Surgically Clean Air, Inc., 248 761 9923 www.quartzair.com
QUARTZ:
retail price: $1,795
DUCC Feb 2021 price: $1,495
Cubic Ft./min cleaned, 194 cfm on Medium setting
Total sq ft cleaned per unit: 2,100 sq ft
JADE:
retailprice: $2,495
DUCC Feb 2021 price: $1,995
Cubic Ft/min cleaned, 229 cfm on Medium setting
Total sq ft cleaned per unit: 2,730 sq ft
After our last congregational meeting, during which we shared plans for air cleaning when the church returns to in-person services, several DUCC members showed interest in Surgicall Clean Air (SCA) units for their homes. SCA has offered church members a discount for orders placed in the month of February, 2021. Full list and discount prices are shown above along with the home square footage covered per unit. Shipping is approximately $50 with a two-week lead time.
If you would like one of these units at this special price, contact our sales representative, below. Only orders placed with him by phone qualify for the DUCC discount. Also, he is happy to answer any questions regarding home layouts, size of units, etc.
Mr. Dave Lerg, Surgically Clean Air, Inc., 248 761 9923 www.quartzair.com
Michigan's Contact Tracing App
We can protect one another as we work to stay safe by downloading and using the MI COVID ALERT app for our apple or android smart phones. The app a free and is managed by the state health department to help with contact tracing and notification, which will slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Michigan. Using the MI COVID Alert app along with following and observing existing public health recommendations will help us all stay safe when we meet up, socialize, work or travel. Click here to find and download the app to your phone!
Sign up for your vaccine! Volunteer to help people get their vaccines!
Local public health departments are working to distribute vaccines in West Michigan. Click here to visit Vaccinate West Michigan for news of distribution in our region. If you are an Allegan County resident and wish to have a vaccine and/or volunteer to help out , follow this link to register with the Allegan County Health Department website. You may wish to register with your local Meijer, whose clinics will be set up to distribute Covid 19 vaccines. Here is the link to register at your closest Meijer pharmacy. Hope is on the horizon!
Please note that healthcare advisors in our own church and across the nation are advising people who have received the vaccine to continue to wear masks and practice social distancing for a while longer. Patience is the gift we give to each other. Here's a good explanation of why masking and distancing will still be necessary.
If you have the time and the skills to help people sign up and receive their vaccines, Allegan County has a volunteer application form you can use to let them know of your skills and availability.
You need to sign up online, and here is the link for Allegan County:
http://cms.allegancounty.org/sites/Office/Health/PHEP/SitePages/Volunteers.aspx
And here is the link for other locations in Michigan:
http://mivolunteerregistry.org/
Please note that healthcare advisors in our own church and across the nation are advising people who have received the vaccine to continue to wear masks and practice social distancing for a while longer. Patience is the gift we give to each other. Here's a good explanation of why masking and distancing will still be necessary.
If you have the time and the skills to help people sign up and receive their vaccines, Allegan County has a volunteer application form you can use to let them know of your skills and availability.
You need to sign up online, and here is the link for Allegan County:
http://cms.allegancounty.org/sites/Office/Health/PHEP/SitePages/Volunteers.aspx
And here is the link for other locations in Michigan:
http://mivolunteerregistry.org/
Friendship Hall News
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Ann and Jim Hopkins (photo above!) were among the many DUCC folk who received unusual Valentine Visitations from Minions and Potatoheads and T-Rexes ('Oh my!) over this past weekend. Certificates of DUCC Love Vaccines along with lovely roses lifted spirits all over West Michigan. Ann said it best... "Whoever did this, I want them to know it mattered."
Gregg and Pastor Sal thanked everyone for the love and support on the passing of their step-dad and father-in-law, Bill Tucker.
Mike Boston will have open heart surgery this coming Tuesday and will appreciate our prayers.
Prayers of comfort too, for Becca Wasso and her family on the loss of Becca's grandmother, who watched our service the week before she died, and especially loved Stan Green's performance of "Healed."
Responding to the Book Read invitation, above, Dan Mack recommended the movie Breaking Fast, which lovingly explores Islamic culture and faith traditions.
And Chris Clark noted that a lovely book has been donated to the Saugatuck-Douglas District Library in Denny Bales' name, a young adult parable about prejudice called The House in the Cerulean Sea.
Gregg and Pastor Sal thanked everyone for the love and support on the passing of their step-dad and father-in-law, Bill Tucker.
Mike Boston will have open heart surgery this coming Tuesday and will appreciate our prayers.
Prayers of comfort too, for Becca Wasso and her family on the loss of Becca's grandmother, who watched our service the week before she died, and especially loved Stan Green's performance of "Healed."
Responding to the Book Read invitation, above, Dan Mack recommended the movie Breaking Fast, which lovingly explores Islamic culture and faith traditions.
And Chris Clark noted that a lovely book has been donated to the Saugatuck-Douglas District Library in Denny Bales' name, a young adult parable about prejudice called The House in the Cerulean Sea.
Reports & Minutes
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Birthdays & Anniversaries
February 22- Beth Miller, 24- Greg VanPortfleet, 27-Wendy Hamlin, Phil Raywood
Birthday and Anniversary cards are a great way we can continue to reach out to one another during this time. If you wish to mail a card to one of our church members, addresses can be found in our Church Directory. If you don't have a directory, please let us know, and we will email one to you.
Birthday and Anniversary cards are a great way we can continue to reach out to one another during this time. If you wish to mail a card to one of our church members, addresses can be found in our Church Directory. If you don't have a directory, please let us know, and we will email one to you.
Prayer Requests
Dale Lower; Sherri Kanten (Ruth VandenBosch's friend); Diane Carr (Debra Carr's sister); Michael (a friend of Dan Mack's); Mike Boston and Kathy Austin; Myron (Wendy Hamlin's grandson, Fred Hamilin's great-grandson); Chris Stuart (Virginia Stuart's sister-in-law); Kurt McDonald (John McDonald's son); Matt Brazys (Friend of Pete Wehle's); Darren Dixon (Beverly and Orie Hawkes' nephew); Mary Elizabeth Loudin (friend of Laurie VandenBeldt); Richard Graham; Char Clausing (Nancy Plantinga's cousin); Chris Robinson (Peter and Kathleen Mueller's nephew); Jim Shewell; Gregg Kirchen (Sheryll and Greg VanPortfleet's friend); Daniel Ver Meulen (Susan Fleming's son); Marcia Sullivan (Jo Cooley's friend); Len Lynch (Kathleen Mueller's brother); Curtis Coffin (Marty Coffin's brother).
Financial Stewardship
February 14, 2021
Viewers for February 14 Online Service Videos: 1,568
Online Giving: $2,574.27
Church Use: $200.00
Retreat House Use: $180.00
Collection, Mailed in: $1,230.00
Total: $4,184.27
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.
Viewers for February 14 Online Service Videos: 1,568
Online Giving: $2,574.27
Church Use: $200.00
Retreat House Use: $180.00
Collection, Mailed in: $1,230.00
Total: $4,184.27
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.
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